By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Friday September 4, 2020

Sep 4, 2020 | 9:54 AM

Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the North will be part of the federal governments Surplus Food Rescue Program.

The Fisher River Cree Nation will rescue up to 1.4 million pounds of freshwater fish caught from inland lakes.

Working with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, the surplus product will be distributed to more than 75 Indigenous communities.

Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said through this initiative a significant portion of this year’s harvest will be saved and sent to those who need it most.

The Surplus Food Rescue Program is a $50 million federal initiative designed to address urgent, high volume, highly perishable surplus products falling under horticulture, meat and fish and seafood.

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These surpluses were created because the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Prairie farmers have filed roughly 10,000 crop hail claims.

Canadian Crop Hail Association president Rick Omelchenko said hail claims in Alberta are above normal at 2,700, Saskatchewan farmers have submitted 6,000 damage reports while Manitoba claims are below normal at 1,200 this season.

He said hail stone size ranged anywhere from pea to tennis ball and crop damage is from light to severe.

He said about 70 per cent of the claims have been processed.

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The Canadian Agricultural Youth Council held its inaugural meeting.

Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said discussions focused on the future of the sector, sustainable agriculture, rural vitality, skills and labour, and mental health.

Over the coming months, the council will also meet with policy leaders, as well as senior departmental officials.

The council of 25 were selected from over 800 applicants to share their perspectives on the future of agriculture.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF